Programming for terminal applications

When a computer language is taught in the classroom, the focus is usually on the language itself and its application to the students' fields of interest. Syntax and logic are the chief barriers to be overcome, and, as a result, an important topic is not covered. This area is becoming more a problem with the trend toward writing computer programs to be run from a terminal. Students are not being taught how to write a program to be run by someone else.This article develops a set of rules to improve programs for terminal applications. These rules center around:1. Data Validation: The Programmer must explicitly test the data entered to be sure it is of a valid type and within valid range;2. Input and Output Validation: It is important to identify the problem being solved, the input to the program and the results of the program; and3. Data Flow: The flow of data into the computer should be ordered in the same way as it would be if a person were solving a problem in his head.If these rules are followed, programs will perform better, the user will be happier, and the data processing will be more accurate.